The Tennessee Good Samaritan Law (naloxone distribution) was enacted in 2014 and Tennessee was the 18th state to pass and support this civil immunity law which permits the prescribing and dispensing of naloxone to any at-risk persons, their family members, or friends, and allows them to administer it to a person believed to be experiencing an opioid overdose. The legislation requires these individuals to receive basic instruction – including taking a quiz and printing a certificate. The two trainings on this page fulfill this requirement. The first was developed to be done in setting with limited time or access to a technology while the classroom training can take up to 45 minutes and is more comprehensive.

Training for the General Public (individual, group, or classroom; select one)

The misuse and abuse of prescription drugs, along with the associated morbidity and mortality, has been identified as one of the most serious and costly issues facing Tennesseans today. In 2015, TN had the tenth highest drug overdose mortality rate in the US, most of which was due to prescription drugs. The Department of Health has developed an interactive Prescription Drug Overdose Dashboard to allow Tennesseans to look and see how prescription drug and opioid overdose is affecting their state and its counties. For more information on the Prescription Drug Overdose (PDO) webpage, please visit https://www.tn.gov/health/health-program-areas/pdo.html.

Naloxone (or NarcanTM) is a proven tool in the battle against drug abuse and overdose death. When too much of an opioid medication is taken, it can slow breathing to a dangerously low rate. When breathing slows too much, overdose death can occur. Naloxone can reverse this potentially fatal situation by allowing the person to breathe normally again.

Naloxone is not a dangerous medicine. However, proper training is required by law. Any time an overdose is suspected, first responders should be notified by calling 911 immediately and stay with the patient until first responders arrive. It is important to know that some patients may awake disoriented or agitated after receiving naloxone. This is a good sign, but calling 911 is still very important to help the person survive.

Good Samaritan Law

In July 2014, Tennessee became the 18th state to pass and support a "Good Samaritan" civil immunity law centered on the lifesaving medicine naloxone. Naloxone, also known as NarcanTM, is an opioid antagonist that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. The legislation went into effect on July 1, 2014. It has four key components:

Grants immunity from civil suit to providers who prescribe naloxone to a patient, family member, friend or other person in a position to assist giving the medicine naloxone.

Allows the Department of Health to provide training and instruction on how to use naloxone.

Requires you to receive basic instruction, including taking the quiz and printing the certificate, on how to give naloxone.

Grants a "Good Samaritan" civil immunity for administering the medicine to someone they reasonably believe is overdosing on an opioid.